John Ward surfaces to comment on the state of radio

Usually when I mention the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, it is followed by an epithet, but it's had some great college football articles heading into this season. One of those comes this morning in a piece that focuses on famed Georgia broadcaster Larry Munson's twilight years and the general decline of radio broadcasters. It features several quotes from University of Tennessee legend John Ward.

Here they are:

Ward, retired after 30 seasons at Tennessee, said his generation of play-callers "established a loyalty, a commitment, an involvement of fans - not just alumni but also the plain old guy on the street - so they felt a part of it and they identified with the announcer.

"Most of them are gone. ... And in a selfish way, I hate to see the era go. But it is."

-and-

"The ethic is different. The technique is different," said Ward, the retired Tennessee voice. "Today's announcers were educated by listening to television announcers and not radio announcers. And there was something distinctive about it."

-and-

Satellite radio could redefine the business. Online services deliver the same immediate service found in a press box. The information age may usher in a game experience beyond the current imagination.

"More power to them. I hope it's better," Ward said. "But it ain't going to be a whole lot better than when we had all those radio announcers, I'll tell you that."

I still get chills up my spine when I hear a clip of "It's football time in Tennessee." He may sound a little curmudgeonly here, but he does have a point. Most TV broadcasters suck.